Get to know PCMA Member Ronald Lim, Co-Founder & Event Producer, Think Tank Productions Sdn. Bhd.
What initially led you to becoming involved with PCMA?
I run a specialist event curation and conference management firm in Malaysia — Think Tank Productions — and our work sits at the intersection of content strategy, policy alignment, and audience design for large-scale government and institutional events. I’ve been curating conferences tied to national agendas — digital economy, AI, smart cities, trade — and I kept bumping into a gap: there wasn’t a strong professional community in Southeast Asia where business events strategists could exchange ideas at a serious level. PCMA filled that gap. What drew me in was twofold. First, the quality of thinking around how events create real impact — as acceleration mechanisms, not just gatherings — resonated with how I approach my own work. Second, PCMA’s education and certification programme was a genuine differentiator. It’s truly the leading association for business events industry partners that offers structured professional development at that level. The combination of a community where I could both contribute and be challenged, alongside a credible pathway for continuous learning, made the decision straightforward.
How has your career developed as a result of being a PCMA member?
Being on the PCMA Asia Pacific Advisory Board has sharpened how I position my work internationally. It’s given me a platform to articulate what makes the Southeast Asian business events landscape distinct. More practically, the cross-pollination of ideas has influenced how I design programmes. When you’re regularly exposed to how peers in other markets think about delegate experience, content architecture, and stakeholder value, it raises your own bar. My client relationships across both government and corporate sectors have deepened in part because PCMA membership signals a commitment to professional standards that transcends any single market.
Why would you tell others it is important to be involved in PCMA?
Because this industry is evolving fast, and working in isolation is a liability. In Southeast Asia especially, we’re at an inflection point — governments are investing heavily in business events as economic multipliers, and the people curating and managing these events need a professional home that keeps them current. PCMA provides that. It’s not just about credentials; it’s about being part of a community that’s genuinely trying to raise the craft. And the quality of PCMA’s own flagship events — Convening APAC and Convening Leaders in the US — is superb. The standard of curation, content, and experience at those gatherings is simply not found at any other business events. For anyone in APAC who’s serious about building a career in business events — not just executing logistics, but shaping strategy — PCMA is where those conversations are happening.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I’ve become quite committed to wellness and longevity practices. My routine includes regular workouts, Pilates, cold plunge, and sauna — the combination keeps me physically sharp and mentally clear, which matters when you’re managing multiple high-intensity event programmes simultaneously. It started as a personal interest, but it’s honestly shaped how I think about wellbeing more broadly. I’ve even found it influencing my professional work, and recently invested in the business.
